High pressure seal closure



April 24, 1956 J. SNIEG 2,743,032

HIGH PRESSURE SEAL CLOSURE Filed Sept. 4, 1953 2,4 27 4 V m rrn ATTE] RN EYS FiG- 2. Y

; United States Patent HIGH PRESSURE SEAL CLOSURE Joseph Snieg, Fredonia, N. Y. Application September 4, 1953, Serial No. 378,450 4 Claims. 01. 220-46) This invention relates to closure members for conduits, chambers and related devices designed to accommodate flowing or static fluid masses. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a closure member for devices operating under high fluid pressure as, for example pressures of the order of ten thousand pounds per square inch, or greater.

Extraordinary high pressure fluids flowing through any piece of equipment or device requires the exercise of the ultimate of safe guards to protect users, employees and property from injury and damage. Extensive personal injuries and damage to property frequently arise from the utilization of faulty closure elements for openings providing access to the interior of such equipment. Additionally, many such alleged safe closure members are complex in assembly, requiring the services of a skilled mechanic to properly install, are expensive to manufacture, and difficult to maintain in their respective closure sealing position.

The instant invention has, as one of its primary objectives, the provision of closure means of the type referred to above which completely overcomes the objectionable features of closures heretofore known in the art as noted supra, without sacrificing any element of safety.

A further object of this invention is to provide a closure member for devices operating under high fluid pressure which takes advantage of certain inherent characteristics of the materials from which it is constructed, to insure against accidental blowouts while being subjected to high pressures and which will also accommodate itself as a seal against fluid leakage when the fluid pressures are reduced.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in the light of the annexed drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken on the vertical plane of the line 11 of Fig. 2 of a heat exchange device, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating a closure device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the closure device shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, showing certain constructional details of the invention.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates the cylindrical casing of a heat exchange device designated, in general, by the numeral 2. The interior of the casing 1 is traversed intermediate its ends by an integrally formed wall 3 having an integrally formed vertical wall 4 projecting upwardly therefrom and extending diametrically thereacross.

An annular flange 5, also integrally formed with the casing 1 and spaced vertically and upwardly from the 2,743,032 Patented Apr. 24, 1956 wall 3, provides a seat for fluid pass plate cover 6 secured thereto by a plurality of stud bolts 7. As seen in Fig. 1, the vertical wall 4 divides that portion of the casing 1 between the pass plate cover 6 and the transverse wall 3 into compartments 8 and 9.

The casing 1 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed openings 10 and 11 disposed on opposite sides of the wall 4 and between the transverse wall 3 and pass plate cover 6. The opening 10' is adapted, to receive conduit 12 carrying a fluid under high pressure for discharge into the compartment 8 from whence it is conveyed through conduits 13 and 13' to compartment 9 for ultimate disposal through the conduit 14 connected with the opening 11.

Referring again to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it is seen that the casing 1 is formed with an internal annular flange 15 adjacent its open upper end 16. For a purpose to be explained below, the inner circumference of the flange 15. tapers inwardly toward the transverse wall 3.

The flange 15 is further defined by the contiguous annular groove 17 formed immediately thereover in the wall of the casing 1. p

The high pressure seal comprises a main closure member 18 substantially circular in configuration, formed of a material expandable under conditions of heat and pressure, and provided with a plurality of circumferential recessed spaced shoulders 19 increasing in diameter from the bottom side 20 to the upper side 21 of the closure member 18. The shoulders19 are adapted to nest within and complement similar shoulders formed around the inner circumference of an extension ring 22 which bears against the inner wall of the casing 1 adjacent the shoulder 15. The extension ring is grooved on its upper end to receive a gasket take-up ring 23, the latter having engagement with a Monel or other soft material gasket 24.

As seen in Fig. 1, the gasket 24 bears against the lower side of the shoulder 15 and extends radially inwardly to form an annular flange 24 which serves as a seat for a gasket 25 having tapered sides adapted to be engaged and clamped between the tapered side, 26 of the closure member 18 and the tapered side of the shoulder 15.

A ring 260 formed of a plurality of segments 26 is fitted within groove 17 and a groove 27 formed in the upper end 21 of the closure member 18, and the ring 260 is seated on the upper end of the gasket 25.

A plurality of stud bolts 27 extend through apertures 28 formed in the ring 260 and into aligned tapped openings 29 formed in the closure member 18 and are tightened therein. A plurality of jack screws 30 extend laterally through apertures 31 and are threaded into tapped openings 32 to further assist in holding the segments 26' in their relative positions.

From the foregoing description which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing, the subject matter of the instant invention is deemed to be clear, but it should be understood that the embodimentof this invention herein described and illustrated is offered only by way of example, and that the invention is only to be limited by the scope of the appended claims.

The member 25 is not totally a gasket since its main purpose is to provide a gasket back-up ring. Part No. 24 is the main gasket, and the part No. 22, which is the cover extension ring is made in a plurality of segments so as to be able to insert it inside of the casing No. 1. The most important gasket is No. 24 and the upper gasket back-up ring 25 is tapered on both sides so that it can be easily removed and since it is wider at the top it gives added strength. The ring 25 itself does not work as a gasket completely but only on the tapered sides. The cover extension ring 22 is made up of a plurality of seg- 3 ments so as to be able to insert this member inside of thepartNo. 1.

I claim:

1. A high pressure seal for a conduit having an in: wardly extending annularflange, said seal comprising a substantially circular closure member having a plurality of circumferentialstepped shoulders formed thereon, an extensionring having a plurality of similar'stepped shoulders formed in the inner circumference thereof, said member being adapted to be'nested within and complement the said shoulders of the extension ring, said ring having its outer circumference bearing against the inner wall of said conduit, said ring and said member being positioned adjacent one side of said flange, said ring having a circular groove formed in the side thereof adjacent said flange, a gaskettake-up ring disposed within said groove, a substantially flat annular gasket interposed between said gasket take-up ring and said one side of said flange, andmeans connected between said conduit and said member to retainthe member and extensionring elements of said seal in their respective positions.

2. A high pressure seal for a conduit "having an inwardly extending annular flange, said seal comprising a substantially circular closure member having a plurality of circumferential stepped shoulders formed thereon and an inclined circumferential side, an extension ring having a plurality of similar stepped shoulders formed in the inner circumference thereof and adapted to be nested'within and complement the said shoulders of said member, said ring having its outer circumference bearing against the inner wall of said conduit, and said memberandsaid ring being positioned adjacent one "side of said flange, said ring having a circular groove formed in the side thereof proximate said flange, a gasket take-up ring disposed'within said groove, a substantially flat annular gasket disposed between said gasket take-up ring and said flange, said annular gasket extending inwardly "beyond the inner diameter of said annular flange, said flange having an inclined side oppositely disposed with respect to said inclined side of said closure member, a wedge shaped gasket disposed between said inclined sides and seated on the extended portion of said annular gasket, and means connected between said member and conduit to retain the member and extension ring elements of said seal in their respective positions.

3. A high pressure seal for a conduit having an inwardly-extending annular flange, said seal comprising a substantially circular closure member having a plurality of circumferential stepped shoulders formed thereon and an inclined circumferential side, an extension ring having a plurality of similar stepped shoulders formed in the inner circumference thereof and adapted be nested within and complement the said shoulders of said member, said ring having its outer circumference bearing against the inner wall of said conduit, and said member and said ring being positioned adjacent one side of said flange, said ring having a circular groove formed in the side thereof proximate said flange, a gasket take-up ring dis posed within said groove, a substantially flat annular gasket disposed between said gasket take-up ring and said flange, said annular gasket extending inwardly beyond the inner diameter of said annular flange, said flange having an inclined side oppositely disposed with respect to said inclined side of said closure member, a wedge shaped gasket disposed between said inclined sides and seated on the extended portion of said annular gasket, said conduit having an inner circumferential groove formed therein on the other side of said flange, a lock ring disposed within said groove and having a portion thereof overlapping said member, and a plurality of bolts extending transversely through said lock ring and into said member for securing the member and extension ring elements of said seal in their respective positions.

4. A'high pressure seal as defined in claim 3, said lock ring comprising a plurality of interfitted segments, and a jack-screw passing laterally through each of said segments into said conduit.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,196,895 Bowman Apr. 9, 1940 2,219,659 Price Oct. 29, 1940 2,252,488 Bierend Aug. 12, 1941 2,296,620 Tinker Sept. 22, 1942 2,296,710 Fischer Sept. 22, 1942 2,527,949 Maier et al. Oct. 31, 1950 2,582,997 Laurent Jan. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 903,569 France Jan. 22, 1945 

